Broccoli Soup with a Creme Fraiche Froth 🌞

[justaprogressive]

*This recipe is a little tougher...

Broccoli Soup with a Creme Fraiche Froth

A ragout of Girolles (Chanterelles) and chives topped with tiny golden croutons and bits of bacon
greet you at the bottom of a bowl of this satin-smooth soup. A fluffy dollop of creme fraiche
spreads over the surface of the soup to create a capuccino-like froth.

4 persons // Preparation time: approx. 30 minutes


Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs broccoli cut into florets
3/4 lb chanterelles
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1/2" slices.
1 tsp fine sea salt
Black pepper from the mill


For the garnish:

4 tablespoons butter
3 slices white bread without bark, then cut into 1/4" cubes
2 1/2 ounces slab bacon or pancetta cut into thin julienne strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 lb Small, Chanterelle mushrooms trimmed and cleaned and if larger than 1/2" wide
cut into halves or quarters. Or 1 pound of Shitake mushrooms, stems discarded,
cleaned, and cut into 1/2" cubes.
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Créme fraiche
4 sprigs fresh Chervil

To Prepare The Broccoli:

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until tender, about 6 minutes.
Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice-cold water. Cool for 1 minute, then drain again and carefully dry the broccoli
by gently squeezing each floret between two layers of clean linen or cotton towel.
Place the broccoli in the bowl of a food processorand process it velvety into a puree and process,
scraping down the sides once or twice, to a smooth puree. Set aside.


To Prepare The Garnish:

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillett over medium heat and heat the bread cubes,
stirring frequently, until golden-brown, 5-7 minutes. Transfer the croitons to paper towels to
drain . Reserve.

Brown the bacon in a non-stick pan, then drain on paper towels. Chop into small pieces; set aside.
Heat the olive oil and 1tablespoon of the remaing butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms stirring to coat with the fat, and cook stirring until they begin to give off their
juices. 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, stirring rapidly to blend. Stir
in the chives and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a chilled bowl, whisk the Créme Fraiche until it forms soft peaks; set aside.

To Finish The Soup:

In a large saucepan combine the chicke stock, broccoli puree, olive oil and butter and bring to a boil
over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Remove fom the heat and pour into the bowl of a food processor.
Add 3 tablespoons of the whipped creme fraiche season to taste with the salt and pepper. Process
to a smooth puree. Reheat the soup in the saucepan, then transfer to a wrmed soup tureen.
To serve, place a large spoonful of mushroom ragout to the center of each warmed soup bowl.
Sprinkcle 1 tablespoon of the croitons and 1 tablespoon of the chopped bacon around the ragout.
Spoon a dollop of the whipped creme fraiche on top of the mushrooms. Carefully ladle in te soup.
Garnidh each serving with a sprig of chervil. Serve immediately.



from "Ducasse Flavors of France"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/611386.Ducasse_Flavors_of_France]

Bon Appetit!


Alain Ducasse began his culinary journey in southwest France. Born on a farm in Castel-Sarrazin,
he developed a love of local and seasonal cuisine from an early age. At the age of 16, he began
his apprenticeship with chef Michel Guérard in Eugénie-les-Bains, where he discovered the cuisine
of health and lightness. Ducasse continued his training with legendary chef Alain Chapel at Mionnay,
who had a profound influence on his culinary approach. These early experiences shaped his
understanding of cuisine, blending innovation and tradition.

In 1987, Ducasse took over the reins at the Hôtel de Paris in Monaco, managing the prestigious Le Louis XV
restaurant. His reputation grew when he became the first chef to win three Michelin stars for three different
restaurants in three different cities (Monaco, Paris and New York). His career has been characterized by continuous
expansion, with the opening of numerous restaurants around the world, including in London, Tokyo and Las Vegas.

In addition to his culinary skills, Ducasse is known for his role as a trainer and mentor. He has set up a cooking school,
helping to train the next generation of chefs. His global vision of gastronomy also extends to the publication of cookery
books and the management of hospitality projects.

[democrank]

1. Three Michelin stars for three restaurants? That's quite impressive....

The broccoli soup sounds absolutely delicious. Thanks for posting this.

[justaprogressive]

2. He's the real deal

I'm just researching his creations ...there's over 200 books!

[democrank]

3. I'm just learning about him because of your efforts.

Thank you~